STAFF have been “sitting on the floor” of an almost empty Covid-19 testing site at Gatwick Airport, according to those who have been to get a swab.

One woman posted a video on social media showing a near deserted car park.

She secretly filmed the site on Tuesday, saying: “I think it’s illegal to film here – but this is a disgrace.

“There is no one here – this place is empty. This is a scandal.”

Another visitor, a nurse, was brought to tears after being denied a test at the “empty” site.

Vicky Marlow told The Argus: “I went to the car park and there were ten staff all sitting on the floor doing nothing.”

Her three children developed symptoms last weekend, and she needed a negative test result before she could get back to work as an NHS nurse in Brighton, and before her children could get back to school.

At Gatwick, there was a problem with her code. She said a member of staff told her the government website had been “having issues and not booking appointments properly” because they were in such demand.

She said: “He said his hands were tied and explained the Gatwick testing site, covering a large proportion of the South East coast, was only permitted to swab 150 people a day because the labs could only accept that many tests.”

The Argus: Nurse Vicky Marlow's children Lilia, Gus, and IsaacNurse Vicky Marlow's children Lilia, Gus, and Isaac

Vicky was devastated when she was told she would only be able to get one test. The next day, she had to make a four-hour round trip to Heathrow Airport to get her family tested.

“I told my children we were doing a tour of UK airports,” she said.

“I feel completely let down. I was sitting there in tears. It’s been so stressful. I’ve been trying to do what the government says we’re supposed to do, but I can’t.”

The government has not responded to a request for comment about the Gatwick site. Asked about Vicky’s case, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “NHS Test and Trace is providing tests at an unprecedented scale – 200,000 a day on average over the last week – with the vast majority of people getting tested within six miles of their home.

“There has been a spike in demand in recent weeks and the message is clear – only people with symptoms should be requesting a test.

“We’re doing everything possible to overcome this challenge – including by bringing in new labs that can process tens of thousands of tests a day, opening new test sites, and trialling new rapid tests that will give results on the spot.

“As we expand capacity further, we will continue to work around the clock to make sure that everyone who needs a test can get one.”